9 Important Basil Harvesting Tricks No One Ever Told You
19.06.2023 - 11:03
/ balconygardenweb.com
While growing herbs, especially basil, it is important that you snip away their leaves in the right manner to ensure they stay healthy and grow better. Want help? Here are some really helpful Basil Harvesting Tricks No One Ever Told You!
Before you move ahead and harvest the leaves, it is important to stop the plant from growing flowers, as it will then divert its energy into making more blooms.
Pinch the flower buds as you see them—it will promote the plant to produce more leaves.
While harvesting the herb, do not forget to pinch the tips of its stems. This will encourage the plant to create two new branches, which ultimately grow new sets of leaves.
All this will make the plant grow fuller and bushier, which means more leaves!
Do not harvest the entire plant as you will end up killing it. It is better that you take away 20-30% of the total leaves at a time. If you have more consumption, it is better to grow 3-4 plants for more harvest!
People have a habit to pull the leaves off the plant, which damages the stems. It is always better to use scissors to make a clean cut. This will help you to keep the plant safe and you won’t damage the delicate stems, too.
While harvesting the plant, leave the big leaves at the bottom intact as they help the plant to absorb more sunlight. They are also responsible for the plant’s nutrient supply.
Always harvest the top leaves and leave the bottom ones, as snipping them will hurt and stunt the plant’s growth.
It is always a good idea to let the plant grow up to 6-8 inches tall and at least 4-5 inches wide before you start to harvest. Harvesting a young plant may kill it.
It is best to only harvest in smaller quantities from each basil plant at a regular interval of 2-4 weeks. This will give the